Just over a year ago, I came to Vienna for the first and only time before I decided to move here. I was here for four days — I came to meet Dan on one of his business trips. I wanted to get a feel for the city and see if I could even imagine myself living here. I wasn’t here for long, but we tried to get out, see some sights and experience as much of the city as possible.
Sunday morning of my trip here (which was also Valentine’s Day) we got up very early (not easy to do, due to the jetlag) and went to see the Vienna Boys’ Choir. We weren’t entirely sure where we were going, and we got a little lost on the way. We came up out of the wrong exit from the U station into a silent little square. It was cobblestoned and deserted. We set off, trying to find our way, and encountered a few people making their way to the church that was a little further along the square. It was quiet, beautiful and perfectly my idea of Europe. I loved it instantly. I wanted to know where we were, but we were running late and didn’t have time to explore. We eventually found our way to our destination, and didn’t get a chance to return.
A few months ago, when we made the final decision to move here to Vienna, we began to look for housing. At one point in the search, I asked Dan, “Do you think we could live in that little square we found that Sunday morning?” It was half-joking, since we didn’t know where it was exactly, and we both figured that area would be too expensive, since it was right in the heart of the city.
This morning, we were heading back to our favorite apartment, to take a second look at it and make sure it’s the one we wanted. Since we’re staying in a different part of the city now, we arrived by way of a different U station than we did the first time we saw it. We came up out of the station on our way to the apartment . . . and we were in the little square. No kidding. I couldn’t believe it at first, but it was the same. It’s busier on a weekday, and more beautiful in the springtime, but it was the same place.
We went on to see the apartment — it’s as perfect as we remembered, and we’re so excited to have found a place. But, how amazing to have found that it’s just next to the little square we found that morning — the same little square we’ve been thinking of and hoping to see again. This apartment, this neighborhood — they really feel like home to us. When we visit there, it feels like where want to be. Finding our little, quiet square this morning just made it seem that much more perfect, and we’re so excited to be moving there.